Songs For You
by CassandraMcCord
Summary: A collection of songfics that capture moments in the lives and love of Henry and Elizabeth McCord
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'm so delighted to share this with you guys! I've been holding onto this idea for a while, and now it's finally coming to fruition. I would highly recommend listening to the song while you read these; I really feel like that's important (which could just be me as a writer) but if possible, please consider doing that. I really wanted to capture the feel of the song in these little fics. Okay, enough rambling on my part. Here you go!**

" _Firefly" by Ed Sheeran_

 _I fell in love next to you_

 _Burning fires in this room_

 _It just fits_

 _Light and smooth_

 _Like my feet in my shoes_

 _Little one, lie with me_

 _Sew your heart to my sleeve_

 _We'll stay quiet_

 _Underneath shooting stars_

 _If it helps you sleep_

Henry took a slow, deep breath. Darkness surrounded them, split only by the faint glow from the street lamps that were level with his second-floor apartment. Their light, warm and familiar now after several months of nights in this bedroom, sliced ribbons of light across his bed, him, and now also across Elizabeth.

The sight of her, curled into his sheets with her long blonde hair spread out across the pillowcase and brushing against his skin, made Henry's breath catch. She slept soundly, warm body pressed against his own as if it had been made just to fit right there in that spot, legs tangled with his and curves settled against him. He didn't dare to touch her, barely dared to breathe, for fear of waking her. As much as he adored her teasing smiles and the warmth of her ocean eyes, Henry couldn't bear the thought of ending this moment. He wanted to take it all in, commit it to memory so that he could look back on it decades later. The warmth that filled him in those precious pre-dawn moments, he was sure, would transcend time and space for the rest of his life.

As he watched her chest rise and fall with a slow, comforting rhythm, Henry thought back to the night before. He recalled with vivid, stunning clarity the way she had pressed his back against the door of the apartment and kissed him, tasting of honey and smelling like autumn.

"Are you sure?" he'd whispered when her hands met the button on his jeans, and he was certain that he would never forget the look in her eyes as she had met his gaze with a confident toss of her head that had sent her long hair tumbling down her back.

"I'm sure."

It had been awkward and slow and tender and beautiful, all in equal measure. Their youth, their insecurities, their inexperience, all of it had somehow come together in those moments to form something that Henry McCord had no hesitation in calling unforgettable. He had never been so in awe of another human being as he was of Elizabeth, especially when her hands were wandering over his skin for the first time and she was saying his name like that, sending shivers down his spine.

 _There's a firefly_

 _Loose tonight_

 _Better catch it_

 _Before it burns this place down_

 _And I lie_

 _If I don't feel so right_

 _But the world looks better_

 _Through your eyes_

"Are you okay?" she had asked later, a glimpse of her uncertainty, the result of hurt and loss and every broken moment that had brought her to that one with him. And he'd understood, and she had see it, and relief had rushed through her even before he spoke.

Henry had pressed his lips to the curve behind her collarbone and lingered there close to her ear for a beat longer than necessary.

"Perfect," he sighed, and she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her features in response, gratefully settling closer to him.

Henry smiled slightly at the way she shifted in her sleep, feeling a tug in his chest at the sight. He wanted to stay just like this forever, wrapped up with her in the stillness before sunrise and feeling as if nothing could ever possibly go wrong, because how could it with his whole world curled against his chest and sleeping so peacefully? He knew that he, too, should rest, that he should close his eyes and join Elizabeth in sleep, but he couldn't stand even the thought of looking away from her.

Elizabeth, Henry knew in that moment, was everything he could ever want.

He'd know that already, though. He'd known it on their first date, when she had reached over and stolen a french fry from his plate with a mischievous smile and laughed at the overdramatic offended look on his face, life dancing in her blue eyes.

He'd known it when he'd been brave enough to take her hand for the first time and Henry had felt as if the whole world had shifted at that one little touch of her skin on his.

He'd known it when she had sat across from him and spoken passionately about the future of gender equality and her desire to change the world, looking so fierce and so stunningly strong that it had taken his breath away.

Henry hadn't needed to make love to Elizabeth to know that she was everything; he'd known it when she had made him see the world differently. Now, as he gazed down at the love of his life, Henry decided he liked it exponentially more with her in it.

 _Teach my skin_

 _Those new tricks_

 _Warm me up_

 _With your lips_

 _Heart to heart_

 _Melt me down_

 _It's too cold_

 _In this town_

 _Close your eyes_

 _Lean on me_

 _Face to mouth_

 _Lips to cheek_

 _Feeling numb_

 _In my feet_

 _You're the one_

 _To help me get to sleep_

Elizabeth stirred just as the sun was beginning to crest the horizon, and she was immediately aware of Henry's hazel eyes on her. A smile tugged at her features as she glanced back at him and found him watching her with unmistakable love shining in his gaze.

"Henry," she mumbled sleepily, and Henry's heart skipped a beat against his ribs at the soft way she spoke his name. If you'd asked him right then, he would have said that Elizabeth had the ability to speak whole universes into existence with that soft, sleep-warm voice.

"Hi," he whispered, and she breathed a laugh that made Henry feel alight with something that he didn't even have the words to identify.

"ARe you watching me sleep?" she asked.

"Maybe," Henry replied evasively, but the soft smile on his face and the way he was looking at her gave him away. Elizabeth didn't mind, though, she decided as she shifted to see him better in the pale sunlight that was slowly beginning to replace that of the street lamps. She leaned in and caught his lips against her own, tugging his bottom lip tenderly between her teeth, gentle and light and so careful that Henry melted against her.

"I love you, Elizabeth," he breathed, and his words brushed over her skin ever-so-lightly, warm and sincere and reminiscent of the breeze of early summer, filled the promise of long, golden days. Elizabeth felt the words in the deepest part of herself, somewhere that she was certain no one had been able to access for a long time. She drew in a shaky breath, stuttering over the tangible love that was shining in hazel eyes that she was desperate to lose herself in.

"I love you, too," she murmured against his cheek, and she could feel him smiling against her as rays of sunshine stretched over them, reaching into endless days just like this one.

 _It's only been_

 _One night of love_

 _And maybe_

 _That is not enough_

 _Hold me tight_

 _Don't let me breathe_

 _Feeling like_

 _You won't believe_


	2. Banana Pancakes

**A/N: Here's another songfic for you, mostly because ever since I wrote it two weeks ago I've been craving banana pancakes and I finally made some this morning. Happy Weekend!**

 **Based on "Banana Pancakes" by Jack Johnson**

 _Maybe we could sleep in_

 _Make you banana pancakes_

 _Pretend like its the weekend now_

 _We could pretend it all the time_

 _Can't you see that it's just rainin'_

 _There ain't no need to go outside_

Rain lashed against the Georgetown home inhabited by the McCord family, battering the brick exterior and the glass windows with cool water. Inside, beyond the locked doors and the diplomatic security agents that stood guard on the stoop, Henry and Elizabeth were curled up together in between soft cotton sheets, the pale light of a cloudy morning filtering into their bedroom on the second floor.

Elizabeth's head was resting on her husband's bare chest, messy locks of blonde hair brushing against his skin as she slowly rose to consciousness. Her eyes still closed, she inhaled, breathing in the familiar scent of fabric softener, the soap Henry had been using for the past fifteen years, and the faint strawberry and lavender notes of her own shampoo. She smiled slightly as Henry stirred against her; he curled against her, one leg tangling with her own as his arm made its way across her body and settled on her waist, warm and heavy. She opened her eyes and was met with her favorite view; Henry, not yet fully awake, was lying next to her with a sleepy smile on his face as he looked at her through half-open, light brown eyes that spoke to her of home and safety.

"Hi," he mumbled, and Elizabeth smiled in response to the warm, husky tone of his voice.

"Hi," she replied softly.

"What time is it?" Henry asked, but Elizabeth shook her head.

"Doesn't matter," she said dismissively. "Kids aren't here, and we have the day off. Time's not important." She stretched and captured his lips in a sweet, lingering kiss.

"Mm," Henry hummed against her, unable and unwilling to stop the smile that spread across his face at her slow, unsolicited affection. "Sounds good to me," he mumbled.

"Henry?" she asked softly, and there was a tone to her voice that told him they weren't going to be spending the whole morning exactly where they were.

"Hmm?"

She smiled sweetly at him, tracing a light finger across his chest as she batted her eyelashes at him in a way that she knew would get her anything she wanted from him.

"Wanna make me breakfast?" she asked. Henry laughed, tenderly brushing her hair off of her face with gentle fingers.

"I can think of only one thing I would like better," he deadpanned. It was Elizabeth's turn to laugh, but his humor was not quite enough to derail her from her quest for breakfast.

"Come on," she begged, already slipping from her comfortable spot in the bed, fingers still clinging to Henry's, tugging him with her.

As if he needed encouragement to follow Elizabeth wherever she went, he thought as he, too, moved from their bed.

 _Lady lady love me_

 _Cause I love to lay here lazy_

 _We could close the curtains_

 _Pretend like there's no world outside_

 _We could pretend it all the time_

 _And can't you see that it's just rainin'_

 _There ain't no need to go outside_

In the kitchen, Elizabeth looked around at the quiet house. Rain was lashing against the back door and the windows, creating a soft background sound as the heavily blocked sunlight created a pale, gray light in the room. Henry, following close behind her, flipped the switch on the wall and lit up the room with warm, inviting light instead. Elizabeth smiled to herself and hopped up on the counter with minimal effort as Henry headed for the fridge. She watched him, eyes tracking every fluid, familiar movement as he compiled ingredients on the countertop.

"What are you making?" she asked as she watched him. He spared her a quick smile as he ducked back into the fridge.

"Breakfast," said his muffled voice. Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but fell silent and just waited. When, at long last, Henry reached for the bananas that were resting in a bowl near her hip, she felt a smile tugging at her lips. He glanced over at her and couldn't help but smile himself.

"I see you," he remarked, and she laughed.

"Aw, you know how to please a girl, Henry McCord," she said dreamily as she watched him make one of her favorite breakfasts. He laughed in response, taking a break from his cooking to lean over and press a quick, sweet kiss to her cheek.

"No, babe," he corrected her, "I know how to please _you_."

"Well, seeing as I'm the only girl you've ever tried to please, you have a pretty good track record," she teased, and Henry smiled as he stood between her legs. The pancakes were sizzling in the skillet and had already filled the warm kitchen with the heavenly banana scent that Elizabeth loved so much. She smiled as she drew her husband in closer. He caught her lips in a slow, languid kiss and she ran her tongue over his bottom lip. His hands settled on her hips and she closed her eyes, taking in every sensation around her.

She couldn't remember the last time they'd had the chance at a morning like this one, a morning where they could just revel in each other and not worry about the kids or diplomatic lunches or peace deals that could fall through at any moment. Her mind wandered briefly to the refugee crisis that Jay had given her a report on the day before, but Elizabeth quickly redirected herself to Henry, and sank blissfully back into the tantalizing way he was moving his thumb across the skin at her hip.

She breathed a soft sigh of contentment against him as he slowly pulled out of the kiss to look at her, watching in enchantment as she slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze. He smiled as his hand came up to brush her cheek tenderly and Henry was thanking God for her in that moment, amazed as he'd always been by the wonder of a woman that sat before him.

"Pancakes are ready," Henry said with a sideways glance at the breakfast in question. He reluctantly pulled himself from Elizabeth to transfer them to a plate, coating Elizabeth's in syrup before he handed them to her with a fork. She took a bite immediately, and Henry leaned his hip against the counter, watching her expression. Her eyes fluttered closed again and she leaned her head back as she hummed in appreciation of the melting banana confection on her tongue.

"You are magic with that spatula, McCord," she declared, and Henry laughed as he sat himself on the countertop beside her.

"You're adorable," he replied, and she looked over at him with a small smile on her face, pulled from her pancakes by the way he was looking at her; like he always did, like she'd hung the stars in the sky just for him to look at. She leaned in, pressing her lips against his, and though Henry had not yet taken a bite, he could taste the sticky, sweet syrup on his wife's lips.

"I love you," she whispered, barely removed from the kiss, her words brushing over his skin, and Henry smiled as he kissed her again, lightly.

"I love you, too," he murmured, and in that moment, with rain beating on the windows of their little fortress and the kitchen filled with the sweet smell of banana pancakes, neither Henry nor Elizabeth could imagine wanting anything more.

 _But the telephone's singing ringing_

 _It's too early don't pick it up_

 _We don't need to_

 _We got everything we need right here_

 _And everything we need is enough_

 _Just so easy when the whole world fits inside of your arms_

 _Do we really need to pay attention to the alarm_

 _Wake up slow_

 _Mmm wake up slow_


End file.
